President Donald Trump failed on Friday to secure an agreement from Vladimir Putin to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, marking a setback in his most ambitious effort yet to halt the conflict — even after extending a red-carpet welcome to the Russian leader. “There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” Trump said following the talks, after Putin claimed the two had reached an “understanding” on Ukraine and cautioned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.” Trump added that he planned to call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders to brief them on the discussions. The meeting underscored Trump’s complicated stance: he has long expressed admiration for Putin and questioned U.S. aid to Ukraine, yet sought to portray himself as a dealmaker capable of brokering peace.
TRUMP-PUTIN TALKS CALLED ‘PRODUCTIVE,’ BUT NO DEAL
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin met in Alaska on Friday in a closely watched summit — Putin’s first trip to Western soil since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The meeting at Joint Base Elmendorf in Anchorage was billed as a step toward exploring a possible ceasefire, but the spotlight quickly shifted to Trump’s health after footage showed him struggling to walk in a straight line on the red carpet. Trump, 79, greeted Putin, 72, with full military honors, including a B-2 stealth bomber flyover and four F-35 fighter jets roaring above the base. Cameras showed the U.S. president veering side to side as he approached his counterpart, clapping as Putin walked forward before the two shook hands. They then proceeded together toward a viewing platform before descending into a waiting all-black Cadillac Escalade, where Trump placed a guiding hand on Putin’s back and invited him to step in first.
NEW HEALTH QUESTIONS CLOUD US PRESIDENT
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged warm words on Friday but departed their long-awaited Alaska summit without striking a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine — and offered little detail about what had been discussed behind closed doors. Their first encounter in years began with evident camaraderie: meeting on the tarmac at a U.S. military base in Anchorage, Trump and Putin shook hands on a red carpet, smiling broadly and patting each other’s arms in gestures of familiarity. But by the time they faced the press hours later, the tone had shifted. While both leaders continued to publicly praise one another, the buoyant warmth of their arrival seemed more restrained, underscoring the lack of concrete progress in their talks.
FRIENDLY OPTICS MASK EMPTY OUTCOME OF SUMMIT
The long-awaited summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, concluded Friday without a breakthrough on Ukraine, despite both men describing the talks as “productive.” The three-hour meeting — their first face-to-face encounter since 2019 — had been billed as a potential inflection point in Europe’s bloodiest conflict since World War II. Yet the outcome fell short of expectations. Instead of concrete steps toward a ceasefire or a clear path to a follow-up meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump and Putin issued only broad assurances about progress on unspecified issues. The absence of tangible results highlighted the difficulty of bridging the deep divide between Moscow’s war aims and Washington’s push for peace.
ZELENSKY BEGINS HIGH-STAKES WEEK OF DIPLOMACY
US President Donald Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy just hours after wrapping up his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska early Saturday. He also held calls with NATO leaders, following his failure to secure a ceasefire deal in his three-hour meeting with Putin. At a joint press conference after the summit, Trump cautioned: “There’s no deal until there’s a deal.” Putin, meanwhile, claimed that he and Trump had reached an “understanding” on Ukraine and warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.” He reiterated Moscow’s position that Russia is “sincerely interested in putting an end” to the conflict, but stressed that “all the root causes of the crisis must be eliminated.” The Russian president added that he agreed with Trump on the need to guarantee Ukraine’s security and said Moscow was “ready to work on this,” though he offered no specific steps or commitments.
TRUMP JUSTIFIES TARIFFS ON INDIA FOR RUSSIAN OIL
US President Donald Trump on Friday claimed that Russia has lost India as an oil customer after Washington imposed penalties on New Delhi for continuing purchases, but suggested he may hold off on similar secondary tariffs against other nations still buying Russian crude. Trump’s remarks come even as New Delhi has yet to confirm any suspension of imports from Moscow. Last month, the US announced a 25% duty on Indian goods in addition to an existing 25% tariff, with the new measure set to take effect on August 27. Washington has warned that sanctions on Moscow—and secondary sanctions on countries purchasing Russian oil—would follow if no progress is made toward ending the war in Ukraine. India and China remain Russia’s two biggest oil buyers.
